1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an illuminated switching device and more particularly to an illuminated switching device suitable for use in opening and closing a window by a power window system on a motor vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Referring to the accompanying drawings, a conventional illuminated switching device will be explained.
FIG. 6 is a side view showing the conventional illuminated switching device; and FIG. 7 is a side view showing the illuminated switching device of FIG. 6 with a knob removed.
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a switch section 11 of a illuminated switching device C is made of a synthetic resin material such as a glass-filled epoxy resin material, and comprises a case 11a formed in an approximately box shape by a molding process, an unillustrated stationary contact housed in the case 11a, an unillustrated moving contact, an operating member 11b which is rockably supported on the upper surface side of the case 11a, and a plurality of (e.g., six) L-shaped switch terminals 11c connected to the unillustrated stationary contact.
The case 11a includes an upper case 11d and a lower case 11e. The upper case 11d and the lower case 11e are retained as one body by an appropriate means such as a snap-in engagement means. A switch terminal 11c of an approximately L-shape protrudes outwardly from the side wall of the lower case 11e. On the operating member 11b, a knob 15 with a later-described translucent portion 15b is retained.
A printed-circuit board 12 is made of for instance a synthetic resin such as a glass-filled epoxy resin material, and is formed in a flat plate shape. On at least one side (e.g., the back side) is formed an unillustrated circuit pattern of a specific configuration.
The printed-circuit board 12 has a plurality of (e.g., six) switch terminal holes 12a and plural sets of round through holes 12b (e.g., two sets including four holes in all: two holes per set). Around the switch terminal hole 12a and the through hole 12b, a wiring pattern is provided. The through holes 12b in one set are arranged at a spacing L1.
In the switch terminal hole 12a of the printed-circuit board 12, the switch terminal 11c of the switch section 11 is inserted with the bottom surface of the lower case lie of the switch section 11 set on the printed-circuit board 12. The forward end portion of the switch terminal 11c is soldered to the wiring pattern not depicted.
A holding member 13 is molded in an approximately rectangular shape of a synthetic resin material such as a phenolic resin material. The holding member 13 has a pair of (two) rectangular insertion holes 13a. The insertion holes 13a are formed through the upper surface side to the lower surface side, and are arranged at a spacing L1.
The holding member 13 is mounted in the vicinity of the switch section 11 on the printed-circuit board 12. The insertion hole 13a and the through hole 12b of the printed-circuit board 12 are so arranged that the axes of the holes 12b and 13b will be aligned.
A lamp 14 has an illuminating portion 14a including a light-emitting device (LED) and a pair of lamp terminals 14b parallelly protruding out of the illuminating portion 14a. The pair of lamp terminals 14b are arranged at a spacing L1. There is provided a uniform, equal spacing between the illuminating portion 14a and the free end portion (forward end portion) of the lamp terminal 14b. 
On the pair of lamp terminals 14b, a crank-like bent portion 14c is formed. The lamp terminals 14b of the lamp 14 are parallelly inserted in the insertion hole 13a of the holding member 13 and a set of through holes 12b of the printed-circuit board 12. The forward ends of the lamp terminals are soldered to the wiring pattern not shown.
The lamp terminal 14b is held by the holding member 13 on the printed-circuit board 12. The illuminating portion 14a is extended to the vicinity of the operating member 11b of the switch section 11, and the bent portion 14c is disposed in the vicinity of the upper case 11d of the switch section 11. In this state, the size between the illuminating portion 14a and the insertion hole 13a of the holding member 13, inclusive of the bent portion 14c, is relatively long; the illuminating portion 14a, therefore, is unstably supported.
The knob 15 is made by molding of an insulating molding material for example, and has an opaque pushing portion 15a, a translucent portion 15b provided at a desired part of the pushing portion 15a and made of a transparent or opaque insulating molding material, and an approximately rectangular recess portion 15c provided in the back side. The recess portion 15c of the knob 15 is retained by a suitable means to the operating member 11b of the case 11a, thus :forming the knob 15 and the case 11a in one body.
The illuminating portion 14a is disposed in the vicinity of the bottom side of the translucent portion 15b of the knob 15. The translucent portion 15b is illuminated bright with the light from the illuminating portion 14a, being displayed in a raised state.
The illuminated switching device C thus constituted is disposed by an approximate means within a cabinet 16. When the switching device C is in this state, the knob 15 is disposed protruding out through an opening 16a provided in the cabinet 16.
Next, operation of the illuminated switching device C will be explained.
The illuminated switching device C is designed such that when the pushing portion 15a of the knob 15 is depressed and the knob 15 is swung, the operating member 11b engaged with the knob 15 is actuated. With the operation of the operating member 11b, the moving contact moves to and from the stationary contact, thus operating the contact on and off.
The lamp 14 of this illuminated switching device C is so arranged as to be turned on simultaneously with illumination of unillustrated headlamps of a motor vehicle (an automobile).
The conventional illuminated switch device C described above has such a problem that the lamp 14, retained by means of the holding member 13, needs this holding member 13, resulting in an increased component count. Furthermore, since a mounting spacing is needed for installing the holding member 13 on the printed-circuit board 12, upsizing the illuminated switching device will become imperative.
Because the length of the lamp terminal 14b from the upper end surface of the holding member 13 to the illuminating portion 14a is long, the lamp terminal 14b totters with the vibration of the illuminated switching device C. With this vibration, light emission to the translucent portion 15b of the illuminating portion 14a will totter in an unstable state.
Since the spacing L1 between a set of through holes 12b of the printed-circuit board 12 and the spacing between a pair of lamp terminals 14b of the lamp 14 are set at the same size, the lamp terminal 14b can easily be inserted into the through hole 12b. However, the illuminating portion 14a of the lamp 14 is hard to position at a given level above the printed-circuit board 12; and therefore the illuminating portion 14a of the lamp 14 to be mounted on the printed-circuit board 12 will not be set at a given height. Furthermore, because the spacing L1 between the lamp terminals 14b is narrow, the lamp 14 supported is likely to be unstable.
Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide an illuminated switching device comprising a small number of components and capable of giving stabilized illumination to the translucent portion of a knob for purpose of solving the above-described problem.
The illuminated switching device of this invention is comprised of a switching section having a case and switch terminals protruding out of the case, a printed-circuit board with which the switch terminals are connected, and a lamp having a pair of lamp terminals connected to the printed-circuit board; the lamp terminals being supported by locking in the case.
Furthermore, in the illuminated switching device of this invention, the lamp terminals are provided with crank-like bent portions, which are retained in a groove portion of the case. The free ends of the lamp terminals are inserted through the through holes in the printed-circuit board.
Furthermore, the illuminated switching device of this invention has a groove portion formed in the side end face on the upper surface side of the case.
Furthermore, in the illuminated switching device of this invention, the free ends of the pair of lamp terminals are arranged at a wider distance than the other ends of the lamp terminals on the lamp side.
According to the illuminated switching device of this invention, the lamp terminals are retained on the case as described above; and therefore no holding member is needed for holding the lamp terminals of the conventional illuminated switching device. Therefore it is possible to provide a low-cost, down-sized illuminated switching device, the component count of which can be reduced to enable easy assembling.
Furthermore according to the illuminated switching device of this invention, since the crank-like bent portion of the lamp terminal is retained in the groove in the case, the lamp can easily be positioned by the case, to thereby insure stable arrangement of the lamp and the printed-circuit board. Also, since the length between the illuminating portion and the bent portion is relatively short, the illuminating portion will not totter if vibrated, to thereby enable stabilized illumination to the translucent portion.
Furthermore, according to the illuminated switching device of this invention, since the groove portion of the case for retaining the crank-like bent portion of the lamp terminal is formed in the side end face on the upper surface side of the case, the bent portion of the lamp terminal can be easily retained.
Furthermore, according to the illuminated switching device of this invention, the spacing between the free ends of the lamp terminals is set wider than that between the fixed ends of the lamp terminals on the lamp side, and therefore the lamp terminals are so arranged as to pinch the through hole portion when inserted into the through holes. Also since the bent portions are pressed into the grooves in the case, the lamp can be firmly attached to the printed-circuit board and the case, thus insuring stabilized mounting of the lamp.